CubeSats continue to become popular for universities and businesses to affordably conduct research in low Earth orbit. Falling within the nanosatellite category, the CubeSat standard form factor typically consists of a 1U, 1.5U, 2U, or 3U configuration. More recently, 6U CubeSats have been developed. To date, CubeSats have been limited by the orbit into which they are deployed, either as an auxiliary payload on a rocket carrying a primary payload to its required orbit or from the International Space Station. With the development of a safe and reliable propulsion system, CubeSats will be capable of performing orbital control maneuvers, such as orbit raising to extend the lifespan of the satellite and provide onboard instruments with additional data collection time. The propulsion unit in the current work was developed in collaboration with The Aerospace Corporation to provide a 6U CubeSat with this ability. The baseline design of the approximately 1U propulsion unit consists of an additively manufactured carbon-filled polyamide structure and integrated nitrous oxide tank with a cartridge-loaded, 3D-printed solid fuel grain of ABS or paraffin/acrylic composition and performance-enhancing geometry. Strength testing of the structure material characterized its properties as-received and after exposure to nitrous oxide. A significant plasticizing effect was observed for the material exposed to nitrous oxide. Ultimate tensile strength decreased by over 20% and modulus of elasticity decreased by over 40%, while elongation to break was increased. For this reason, future work will investigate an additively manufactured metal propulsion unit. Hot-fire testing of various solid fuel grain compositions and geometries revealed interesting behavior. Increased regression rate was observed for ABS fuel grains with star-swirl port geometry, as was expected, and for paraffin/acrylic diaphragm grains. An iteration on the diaphragm design included an acrylic mixing section that was shown to increase combustion efficiency over pure paraffin and the original paraffin/acrylic design.


Nasopalatine duct cyst is the nonodontogenic developmental cyst, frequently occurring in the midline of the anterior maxillary region. The clinical presentation of the cyst is often varied and presents a diagnostic difficulty and frequently misdiagnosed as developmental or inflammatory odontogenic cystic lesion. This paper represents a large infected nasopalatine duct cyst presenting with complete destruction of anterior palate and pyriform rim.


Abstract Dominance‐diversity curves have been previously constructed for a range of ecosystems around the world to illustrate the dominance of particular species and show how their relative abundances compare between communities separated in time or space. We investigate the usefulness of dominance‐diversity curves in rehabilitated areas to compare the floristic composition and abundance of "undisturbed" areas with disturbed areas, using bauxite mining rehabilitation in Western Australia as an example. Rehabilitated pits (11–13 years old) subjected to prescribed fire in autumn and spring were compared with unburned rehabilitated areas and the native jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest. Dominance diversity curves were constructed by ranking the log of the species density values from highest to lowest. Species were categorized according to a variety of functional responses: life form (trees, shrubs, subshrubs, and annuals), fire response syndrome (seeder or resprouter), nitrogen fixing capability, and origin (native or adventive). Exponential functions showed extremely good fits for all sites (r2 = 0.939–0.995). Dominance diversity graphs showed that after burning of rehabilitated areas, sites exhibited a more similar dominance‐diversity curve than before burning. This was emphasized in a classification (UPGMA) of the regression equations from the dominance‐diversity curves that showed that sites burned in spring were more similar to the native forest than sites burned in autumn. There was no significant segregation of the nitrogen‐fixing and species origin categories, although the life form and fire response groupings showed significant segregation along the dominance‐diversity curve. Resprouters tended to be over‐represented in the lower quartiles and under‐represented in the upper quartiles of post‐burn sites. It is suggested that using dominance‐diversity curves in the monitoring of rehabilitated areas may be a useful approach because it provides an easily interpretable visual representation of both species richness and abundance relationships and may be further utilized to emphasize categories of plants that are over‐ or under‐represented in rehabilitated areas. This will assist in the post‐rehabilitation management of these sites.


Neural networks present a fundamentally different model of computation from conventional sequential hardware, making it inefficient for very-large-scale models. Current neuromorphic devices do not yet offer a fully satisfactory solution even though they have improved simulation performance, in part because of fixed hardware, in part because of poor software support. SpiNNaker introduces a different approach, the "neuromimetic" architecture, that maintains the neural optimisation of dedicated chips while offering FPGA-like universal configurability. Central to this parallel multiprocessor is an asynchronous event-driven model that uses interrupt-generating dedicated hardware on the chip to support real-time neural simulation. In turn this requires an event-driven software model: a rethink as fundamental as that of the hardware. We examine this event-driven software model for an important hardware subsystem, the previously-introduced virtual synaptic channel. Using a scheduler-based system service architecture, the software can "hide" low-level processes and events from models so that the only event the model sees is "spike received". Results from simulation on-chip demonstrate the robustness of the system even in the presence of extremely bursty, unpredictable traffic, but also expose important model-evel tradeoffs that are a consequence of the physical nature of the SpiNNaker chip. This event-driven subsystem is the first component of a library-based development system that allows the user to describe a model in a high-level neural description environment and be able to rely on a lower layer of system services to execute the model efficiently on SpiNNaker. Such a system realises a general-purpose platform that can generate an arbitrary neural network and run it with hardware speed and scale.


This study investigated lead impact on blood, serum glucose and kidney function and the efficacy of treatment with chelating agents meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (CaNa2-EDTA) and natural olive and garlic oils to reduce lead toxicity in albino rats. Oral administration of 1000 or 2000 ppm lead acetate significantly decreased red blood cell count, hemoglobin level and hematocrit value at 20, 40 and 60 days compared with control groups (rats administered deionized water and 1000 or 2000 ppm sodium acetate). Serum glucose was also decreased significantly with both doses of lead acetate administration. In contrast, serum urea, uric acid and creatinine were significantly increased. Garlic or olive oils (1 ml/kg body weight/day, each) alleviated the previous changes in blood, serum glucose and renal parameters, whereas DMSA (50 mg/kg body weight/day) or CaNa2-EDTA (100 mg/kg body weight/day) reversed such changes to near the control levels. Although chemical therapy is more efficient in reducing lead toxicity, natural products with their fewer side effects are still preferable.


Effects of neutron irradiation and thermal aging on the tensile properties and Charpy impact properties of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steels for advanced nuclear systems were investigated and discussed with the results of microstructural observation. After the neutron irradiation in JMTR, significant hardening after irradiation at 290 and 400 °C as well as thermal aging at 500 °C, while no effect was observed after irradiation at 600 °C. While the irradiation hardening was not accompanied by a reduction of total elongation in tensile tests, Charpy impact energy at room temperature was reduced after the irradiation. The hardening after the irradiation at 400 °C and the aging at 500 °C was probably due to the formation of Cr-rich phases. The irradiation hardening observed in the ODS ferritic steels irradiated at 290 °C was well explained by the formation of dislocation loops.


The Halmahera walking shark is a nocturnal species that lives at the bottom of waters and is a species endemic to North Maluku. Weda Bay is one of the largest bays on the island of Halmahera and contains marine resources and high diversity. The aims research was analyze the distribution pattern and abundance of Halmahera walking shark at that location. The research was conducted in September - November 2020. The sampling in Weda Bay, is carried out in two methods, (1) catch of nets with a mesh size of 2,5 cm stretched from the mangrove ecosystem, seagrass to coral reefs with a length of ± 50 meters and a height of 1,5 meters, (2) hand sampling equipment namely the sample catch it by hand with transect area (50x50m2) or 0,25 ha using basic diving equipment (snorkeling) to a depth of 3 meters at high tide in the night. Distribution pattern data analysis used Morisita Index and abundance analysis used reef fish abundance equation. Results the research found 28 individuals, namely 17 females and 11 males. There are 2 distribution patterns of the Halmahera epaullette shark, namely Grouping and Random. The clustered distribution pattern is found at stations 1, 2 and 4, while the random distribution pattern is found at station 3. Overall the distribution pattern of the Halmahera walking shark in Weda Bay is grouped. The highest abundance of Halmahera walkingshark was at station 1, namely 17,33 ind/ha and the lowest abundance at stations 3 and 4 was 5,33 ind/ha. The highest abundance is at station 1, this is because the habitat is still very good from the mangrove, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems to find food and the growth of the Halmahera walking shark.


The ability to modify biologically active molecules such as antibodies with drug molecules, fluorophores or radionuclides is crucial in drug discovery and target identification. Classic chemistry used for protein functionalisation rely almost exclusively on thermochemically mediated reactions. Our recent experiments have begun to explore the use of photochemistry to affect rapid and efficient protein functionalisation. This article introduces some of the principles and objectives of using photochemically activated reagents for protein ligation. The concept of simultaneous photoradiosynthesis of radiolabelled antibodies for use in molecular imaging is introduced as a working example. Notably, the goal of producing functionalised proteins in the absence of pre-association (non-covalent ligand-protein binding) introduces requirements that are distinct from the more regular use of photoactive groups in photoaffinity labelling. With this in mind, the chemistry of thirteen different classes of photoactivatable reagents that react via the formation of intermediate carbenes, electrophiles, dienes or radicals, is assessed.


ABSTRACT In wide-ranging attacks on academic freedom in Turkey in recent years, thousands of academics have lost their university positions. At the end of 2016 oppositional academics, many of whom were dismissed from their positions for having signed a peace petition, established a Street Academy as an alternative way to reach out to both students and the public in Ankara. In this study we analyse the experiences of these street academy lecturers from the perspective of Social Representation Theory. Our main aims were to explore teaching experience perceptions and representations and, in addition, also the opportunities and challenges generated by this alternative academy. Data consisted of semi-structured interviews with five female and five male street academy lecturers. The results of a qualitative thematic analysis revealed that the way participants explained their experiences could be organised into three major themes and several subordinate themes. One of the most salient results was that participating in the street Academy had become a way to defend academic freedom. More generally suggested results demonstrated that teaching in this new setting, outside of the universities and away from customised learning environments, was quite a novel experience. The possible implications of street academy lecturers' experiences are discussed.


High-resolution laser spectroscopy techniques have been applied in the wavelength range between 645 and 675 nm to measure the hyperfine structure (hfs) of high-lying levels of atomic niobium. Using Doppler-limited optogalvanic spectroscopy 20 well-resolved spectra were measured and 10 spectra using Doppler-reduced saturation absorption spectroscopy technique. We have precisely determined the magnetic dipole hfs constants A of 42 levels and electric quadrupole hfs constants B of 15 levels. For the first time 17 A constants and 5 B constants were measured.


Abstract Mountain glaciers and ice sheets often host marginal and subglacial lakes that are hydraulically connected through subglacial drainage systems. These lakes exhibit complex dynamics that have been the subject of models for decades. Here we introduce and analyze a model for the evolution of glacial lakes connected by subglacial channels. Subglacial channel equations are supplied with effective pressure boundary conditions that are determined by a simple lake model. While the model can describe an arbitrary number of lakes, we solve it numerically with a finite element method for the case of two connected lakes. We examine the effect of relative lake size and spacing on the oscillations. Complex oscillations in the downstream lake are driven by discharge out of the upstream lake. These include multi-peaked and anti-phase filling–draining events. Similar filling–draining cycles have been observed on the Kennicott Glacier in Alaska and at the confluence of the Whillans and Mercer ice streams in West Antarctica. We further construct a simplified ordinary differential equation model that displays the same qualitative behavior as the full, spatially-dependent model. We analyze this model using dynamical systems theory to explain the appearance of filling–draining cycles as the meltwater supply varies.


We present a technique for the ergonomic assessment of motor tasks and postures. It is based on movement analysis and it integrates the perceived discomfort scores for joints motion and the time involvement of the different body districts. It was tested on eight subjects performing reaching movements. The experimental protocol was designed to have an a priori expected comfort ranking, namely, higher values in presence of more uncomfortable tasks. The preliminary assessment of the Method for Movement and Gesture Assessment (MMGA) in the ergonomic evaluation of reaching tasks gave promising results and showed the effectiveness of the index. Moreover, the proposed method was applied for the comparison between a real refrigerator and a new concept: MMGA manifested its applicability and resolution in the quantitative ergonomic assessment of accessibility and usability tasks. Next improvements of MMGA concern the integration of movement dynamics and the design of absolute-assessment studies with respect to working time. Future applications of the method might be the integration into CAD tools and human motion simulation to provide an early comparative evaluation of the ergonomics of the prototyping process and workplace redesign in industry.


IntroductionUnilateral strength training is becoming popular as a complement to bilateral training particularly in athletes active in sports performed primarily on one leg. Some studies have shown improved performance after unilateral compared to bilateral strength training, however the underlying cause for this improvement is unclear. The aim of this study was to compare electromyography (EMG) muscle activity in unilateral and bilateral squats performed with 80% of 1repetition maximum (RM) performed in a smith machine.MethodsParticipants in the study were 12 healthy women and men (mean age 25±2 years) with previous weight-lifting experience. EMG activity was measured during the concentric phase in the muscles vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, gluteus medius and erector spinae during A) a maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), B) 1RM squat (90 degree knee flexion) bilaterally and unilaterally, and C) 3 repetitions 80% of 1RM for both the unilateral and bilateral stance, where each squat was performed at a set speed with the aid of a metronome.ResultsEMG activities, calculated as percent of MVIC, in thigh and hip muscles (vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, gluteus medius) were significantly higher (p<0.01 for all) in the unilateral compared to the bilateral stance. The highest increase in EMG activity was in the gluteus medius where the unilateral squat elicited a 2.9 increase compared to bilateral stance. Unilateral stance muscle activation was in vastus lateralis 1.2 times higher and in biceps femoris 1.5 times higher compared to the bilateral stance. For the trunk muscle erector spinae, the opposite was apparent. EMG activity was 0.6 times lower (p<0.01) when the squat was performed unilaterally compared to bilaterally.DiscussionEven when the load is made relative to the 1RM for each stance the muscles in especially the gluteus medius but also vastus lateralis and biceps femoris is activated to a higher degree when performed unilaterally which could be a partial explanation as to why the unilateral stance can be beneficial to include in a strength training regime despite the absolute load being lower.


Even before he was a teenager, Thomas West developed a love of science which rapidly evolved into a love of chemistry and especially analytical chemistry. He realized that chemical analysis and the development of more sensitive and selective methods encompassing both classical chemistry and rapid advances in instrumentation would be crucial to the advancement of many other scientific disciplines. He dedicated his life to developing novel and more powerful methods of analysis, but also to improving national and international recognition of the importance of analytical science and how it should be taught in universities. His determination and unique ability to recognize the best way to solve the constraints of existing methodologies resulted in a UK university-wide change in the status and importance of the discipline. This was done via establishment of an extraordinarily prolific research team at Imperial College in London which turned his ideas into reality, especially in atomic spectroscopy. Tom West's impact continued later as director of the world-famous Macaulay Institute in Aberdeen. He was loved and respected by all who worked with him, many of whom are now chemistry or environmental science senior faculty academics around the world. Though our loss is sad, his impact is still very much alive and will be for decades to come.


Background: CLL is the most common type of leukemia in adults in the US. Traditionally, chemotherapy (CT) and chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) have been the treatment mainstay, with new oral-targeted options recently becoming available. CLL patients (pts) who relapse and/or are refractory to their initial treatment have poorer outcomes compared with pts who are treatment naive, especially if they harbor high-risk genetic features (eg, 17p deletion [del(17p)]). As oral-targeted therapies became available in the US for pts with CLL, including those positive for del(17p), treatment patterns have changed. However, questions about how to sequence new therapies and traditional CIT/immunotherapy (IT) remain. Aims: This study used an electronic health record database to characterize treatment sequencing and associated outcomes in relapsed/refractory (R/R) CLL pts. The association between treatment choices and outcomes stratified by del(17p) status and previous line of therapy (LoT) was also explored. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study in CLL utilizing a large, longitudinal, demographically and geographically diverse database of US cancer pts (Flatiron Health 06/2017). An analytic cohort of pts treated mostly at community practice sites who initiated a LoT after Jan 2014 was developed. Time to next LoT or death (TTNLD), defined as the start date of a LoT to the start date of next LoT or death or the date of data cut, whichever comes first, was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox proportional hazard model was used for unadjusted and adjusted analyses including hazard ratios (HR) estimation. Results: The analytic cohorts included 1,457 and 613 pts who initiated 2nd and 3rd LoT with either B-cell receptor or B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCR/BCL2) inhibitor or CT/CIT/IT after Jan 2014. Average age at CLL diagnosis was 64.8 years (64.0 years); 61.6% (60.7%) of pts were male; and 72.2% (71.8%) were Caucasian (2nd LoT, 3rd LoT, respectively). A subcohort included 374 pts who received either BCR/BCL2 or CT/CIT/IT as 2nd LoT following initial CT/CIT/IT. Among these 374 pts, 161 (43.0%) were treated with a BCR/BCL2 inhibitor; 213 (57.0%) were treated with CT/CIT/IT for the 2nd LoT. The rate of del(17p)-specific testing before initiation of 2nd LoT was 67.1%, and 68.4% before the initiation of 3rd LoT. Median TTNLD in del(17p)-negative pts who initiated 2nd LoT with a BCR/BCL2 inhibitor was not reached (proportion of pts who experienced TTNLD at 06/2017 was less than 50%; Figure 1) vs 21.5 months in pts who initiated 2nd LoT with CT/CIT/IT; similarly, for del(17p)-positive pts: 28.3 months with BCR/BCL2 inhibitors vs 9.8 months for CT/CIT/IT. Pts treated with a BCR/BCL2 inhibitor had a lower risk of advancing to subsequent LoT than pts treated with CT/CIT/IT (HR 0.56; 95% CI: 0.47-0.67 [Figure 1, Table]). Median TTNLD in del(17p)-negative pts who initiated 3rd LoT with a BCR/BCL2 inhibitor was 31.6 vs 12.2 months in pts who initiated 3rd LoT with CT/CIT/IT; similarly, for del(17p)-positive pts: 12.6 months with BCR/BCL2 inhibitors vs 5.5 months for CT/CIT/IT. The HR for advancing from 3rd LoT to subsequent LoT was 0.46 (95% CI: 0.36-0.58) for pts treated with a BCR/BCL2 inhibitor compared with CT/CIT/IT (Figure 2, Table). Pts who were treated with 2nd-line BCR/BCL2 inhibitor following CT/CIT/IT had a median TTNLD that was not reached, significantly longer than the median TTNLD in pts who had CT/CIT/IT after initial CT/CIT/IT (median 26.6 months; HR 0.52; 95% CI: 0.35-0.78). Conclusion: In this real-world analysis of treatment pattern of CLL pts, regardless of del(17p) status or LoT (2nd or 3rd), R/R CLL pts receiving an oral-targeted therapy had a longer TTNLD compared with pts receiving CT/CIT/IT. In particular, pts receiving a BCR/BCL2 inhibitor as subsequent LoT to initial treatment with CT/CIT/IT had a longer TTNLD than pts receiving CT/CIT/IT following CT/CIT/IT. Disclosures Kapustyan: AbbVie Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Keim: AbbVie Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership, Other: I am an employee of AbbVie, Inc and may own AbbVie and/or Abbott stock. Meissner: AbbVie Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership, Other: I am an employee of AbbVie, Inc and may own AbbVie and/or Abbott stock. Nielsen: AbbVie Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Zhang: AbbVie Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Jiang: AbbVie Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership.


BACKGROUND
Genicular nerve block and radiofrequency ablation improve pain and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis. We aimed to evaluated the efficacy of these procedures and to identify factors predicting outcomes.

METHODS
We conducted a chart review of 18 patients referred for these procedures from our clinic. Pain scores were collected before and after the procedure and at a follow-up visit. Functional measures were recorded before the procedure.

RESULTS
Both procedures reduced pain in the post-procedure and follow-up settings, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index correlated with the paired differences of pre- and follow-up pain scores.

DISCUSSION
These procedures provided significant pain relief, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index may help identify appropriate candidates for these procedures.


A new system for measuring magnetic viscosity in bulk hard magnetic materials base on a pulsed field method is presented. After the magnetizing field pulse, the stray field of the sample, which is proportional to the magnetic moment, is measured with a compensated set of two Hall probes. The set of Hall probes is driven with an AC voltage source and the Hall voltage is detected using a lock-in amplifier. By this method the system is able to measure the time dependence of the magnetization (viscosity). The magnetic viscosity coefficient (S) is obtained through a linear fitting of the magnetization decay versus ln t. Two typical Nd-Fe-B samples were measured and good agreement with the results from the traditional viscosity experiment was obtained.


In this article, a research project is discussed that examines the political messages within the paintings commissioned by the U.S. Food Administration to cause civilians during World War I to donate food for the war effort. Sixth grade students in my research project analyzed the paintings commissioned by the U.S. Food Administration and then created their own painting based on arguments in Hoover's Food in War Speech on why U.S. civilians should donate for the food conservation effort. They also wrote a metacognitive writing piece through a Director's Cut explaining the political messages in their painting to cause U.S. civilians to donate for the food conservation effort during World War I. I analyzed the sixth grade students' paintings and Director's Cuts. The findings from five students' paintings and Director's Cuts are provided. Finally, I close the article with a discussion section to examine takeaways from how my research study potentially adds to the body of literature on teaching with visual primary sources that contain political messages.


This paper proposes a method for tuning the parameters of a variable structure controller. The approach presented extracts the error at the output of the controller and applies a nonlinear tuning law using this error measure. The adaptation mechanism drives the state tracking error vector to the sliding hypersurface and maintains the sliding mode. In the simulations, the approach presented has been tested on the control of Duffing oscillator and the analytical claims have been justified under the existence of measurement noise, uncertainty and large nonzero initial errors.


Asymptotically flat black holes in $2+1$ dimensions are a rarity. We study the recently found black flower solutions (asymptotically flat black holes with deformed horizons), static black holes, rotating black holes and the dynamical black flowers (black holes with radiative gravitons ) of the purely quadratic version of new massive gravity. We show how they appear in this theory and we also show that they are also solutions to the infinite order extended version of the new massive gravity, that is the Born-Infeld extension of new massive gravity with an amputated Einsteinian piece. The same metrics also solve the topologically extended versions of these theories, with modified conserved charges and the thermodynamical quantities, such as the Wald entropy. Besides these we find new conformally flat radiating type solutions to these extended gravity models. We also show that these metrics do not arise in Einstein's gravity coupled to physical perfect fluids.


A small CCD photometer dedicated to the detection of extrasolar planets has been developed and put into operation at Mount Hamilton, California. It simultaneously monitors 6000 stars brighter than 13th magnitude in its 49 deg2 field of view. Observations are conducted all night every clear night of the year. A single field is monitored at a cadence of eight images per hour for a period of about 3 months. When the data are folded for the purpose of discovering low‐amplitude transits, transit amplitudes of 1% are readily detected. This precision is sufficient to find Jovian‐size planets orbiting solar‐like stars, which have signal amplitudes from 1% to 2% depending on the inflation of the planet's atmosphere and the size of the star. An investigation of possible noise sources indicates that neither star field crowding, scintillation noise, nor photon shot noise are the major noise sources for stars brighter than visual magnitude 11.6. Over one hundred variable stars have been found in each star field. About 50 of these stars are eclipsing binary stars, several with transit amplitudes of only a few percent. Three stars that showed only primary transits were examined with high‐precision spectroscopy. Two were found to be nearly identical stars in binary pairs orbiting at double the photometric period. Spectroscopic observations showed the third star to be a high mass ratio single‐lined binary. On 1999 November 22 the transit of a planet orbiting HD 209458 was observed and the predicted amplitude and immersion times were confirmed. These observations show that the photometer and the data reduction and analysis algorithms have the necessary precision to find companions with the expected area ratio for Jovian‐size planets orbiting solar‐like stars.


The structurization of a high purity niobium from double electron-beam melted cast microstructure to fine-grained microstructure was completed by equal-channel angular pressing by the Bc route up to a Von Mieses strain of 13.8. In addition, for the viscoplastic behavior study as well as nanostructure and properties improving the hard cyclic viscoplastic deformation, die forging at room temperature and followed heat treatment with low heating rate were conducted. The nanostructure of processed samples was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction testing. This paper focuses on several new trends in the study of improved mechanical and physical properties of pure niobium, to what purpose these materials will be used in industry. The crystallite size, microstrains and dislocation density in severe plastic deformed pure niobium were calculated and electric conduction was measured. The nanocrystalline microstructure with minimal crystallite size down to 62 nm as mean in cross-section of sample was received. By this the dislocation density varies from 5.0 E+10 to 2.0 E+11 cm-2 and was maximal for pure niobium which has minimal electrical conductivity, maximal value of hkl-parameter and maximal relative microstresses. The microhardness was maximal for sample after 12 passes by Bc route and for samples with 8 and 10 passes followed heat treatment at 170 and 350°C. The mechanisms answerable for the electronic conduction were discussed according to the microstructure evolution in the different directions and for different strain levels.


As a requirement for the first year nursing subject 'Health Assessment' at Flinders University of South Australia, the task was given of examining Ethics and how this relates to the health assessment interview. Due to the negative stereotypes of older people and the subsequent treatment of the older patient, focus is placed on this particular age group. A definition of Ethics is given, with further discussion relating specifically to autonomy, respect and justice. This paper is not intended to be a major dissertation on Ethics and the Four Principles, because at the time of writing this the author had not studied ethics. Instead, it is hoped that other nurses and nursing students may learn as much about the difficulties of the older patient as the author has herself, and examine possible prejudices towards patients of any age, particularly the vulnerable older patient.


In recent decades the northwestern part of Germany (Weser-Ems region) has come to focus on intensive pork production. This has led to public outrage about the disposal of biological waste, farmers' complaints about the high cost of leasing land, soaring risks of animal diseases, and the decreasing popularity of intensive animal husbandry. However, despite these problems, due to a beneficial cluster structure, the region is a successful market participant. To shed some light on the relationship between network relationships in clusters and competitiveness, an empirical survey was undertaken to compare this pork-intensive region with non–pork-intensive regions. Bi- and multivariate analyses reveal a better access to knowledge and information on the part of farmers in the Weser-Ems region as well as a higher regional competitiveness. As a result, the cluster region characterized by intensive hog production is economically more successful


Multiple devices, both hardware and software, may come and go at any time in a given room. Software controlling the behaviour of these devices must be able to adapt to encompass new devices or the removal of existing devices. This paper presents a model for curious, supervised learning agents that address the issue of adaptability at a behavioural level in an intelligent room. Curious, supervised learning agents comprise a curiosity module and a supervised learning algorithm. The curiosity module identifies interesting devices on which to focus the agent's learning. The supervised learning component realises behaviours by observing, modelling and mimicking human actions. Our framework is demonstrated in a virtual meeting room in Second Life. We show that the curious learning agent can adapt its behaviour to identify new learning goals in response to new devices and activities.


The theoretical and experimental research into the micro-damaging of cereal crop seeds in the process of their harvesting by combine grain harvesters in relation to the strains, forces and stresses imparted to them by the threshing tools has been carried out. The propagation of deformations and cracks in the seeds as well as the nature of their strength and the damage that is sustained, when the critical load is applied, have been investigated. It has been established that the onset of cracks, the direction of their propagation and their quantity in the bodies of grain seeds depends in the majority of cases on the direction of action of the external forces and the specifics of the seeds' internal biological properties. It has been established that the strength of the grain seed is, apart from the arisen cracks, also under the significant effect of the microtraumas in the germ, endosperm as well as the seed coat and shell. Theoretical calculations have been carried out on the PC and the effect that the drum and rotor threshing apparatus have on the deformation and damage sustained by cereal crop seeds has been substantiated. The said calculations and the obtained graphic relations support the results of the experimental investigations and prove that the macroand especially micro-damage sustained by the seeds of winter wheat and rye is different, when they are threshed with the use of different types of threshing apparatus, which has a considerable impact on the final quality of the harvested cereal crop seeds. The results obtained in the experimental investigations, field and laboratory tests on the topic of the effect of mechanical loading on the sustained damage and quality of seeds indicate that the damage rate accounted for the work processes of the reaping and postharvest treatment of the cereal crop heaps of different winter wheat varieties with the use of rotor threshing apparatus is 3.1% as compared to the drum threshing apparatus – 6.4%, that is, 2 times lower. The total amount of the seeds with microtraumas collected in the hopper after threshing amounts to 23.0% and 54.0%, respectively, which is a significant difference. Similar results have been obtained in the experimental investigations on the effect of the equipment on the sustained damage and quality of seeds in the cleaning, chemical treatment and sowing of cereal crops.


This work takes a critical look at the application of conventional machine learning methods to wireless communication problems through the lens of reliability and robustness. Deep learning techniques adopt a frequentist framework, and are known to provide poorly calibrated decisions that do not reproduce the true uncertainty caused by limitations in the size of the training data. Bayesian learning, while in principle capable of addressing this shortcoming, is in practice impaired by model misspecification and by the presence of outliers. Both problems are pervasive in wireless communication settings, in which the capacity of machine learning models is subject to resource constraints and training data is affected by noise and interference. In this context, we explore the application of the framework of robust Bayesian learning. After a tutorial-style introduction to robust Bayesian learning, we showcase the merits of robust Bayesian learning on several important wireless communication problems in terms of accuracy, calibration, and robustness to outliers and misspecification.


A novel scheme for the generation of background-free pulsed microwave signals is proposed and experimentally demonstrated based on spectral shaping, frequency-to-time mapping, and balanced photodetection. In the proposed scheme, the optical spectral shaper, which consists of a differential group delay (DGD) element, two polarization controllers, and a polarization beam splitter, has two outputs with complementary power transfer functions. By passing a short optical pulse through the spectral shaper and a dispersive element (DE), a pulsed microwave signal is obtained after balanced photodetection. Thanks to the balanced photodetection, the low-frequency components (i.e., the background signal) in the electrical spectrum is suppressed, leading to the generation of a background-free pulsed microwave signal. Meanwhile, the spectral power of the obtained microwave signal is enhanced compared to that obtained by single-end detection. Experimental results for the generation of a pulsed microwave signal centered at 12.46 GHz show that the background signal can be suppressed by more than 30 dB, and the spectral power is increased by 5.5 dB. In addition, the central frequency of the obtained background-free pulsed microwave signal can be tuned by changing the DGD introduced by the DGD element, and/or by changing the dispersion of the DE.


Distance measures between a reference signal and the autoregressive estimate are used as an objective reference for comparing autoregressive order-determining criteria. The distance measures discussed are the rms log spectral deviation, its normalized cepstral distance approximation, the normalized autoregressive transfer function error, the equivalent Itakura distance, and the average squared prediction error. Using them it is found that the AIC criterion is one of the best criteria and performs better than the consistent Schwartz' and Hannan and Quinn's criteria.


We are continually exposed to microplastic fibers originating from textiles. High exposure to microplastic fibers in nylon flock workers has been linked to the development of airway and interstitial lung disease, but the exact health effects of microplastic fibers on the lungs are unknown. Here we determined effects of polyester and nylon textile microplastic fibers on airway and alveolar epithelial cells using human and murine lung organoids. We observed that the presence of particularly nylon microfibers had a negative impact on the growth and development of airway organoids. This effect was mediated by components leaking from nylon. Moreover, our data suggested that microplastic textile fibers may especially harm the developing airways or airways undergoing repair. Our results call for an urgent need to assess exposure and inhalation levels in indoor environments to accurately determine the actual risk of these fibers to human health.


Integral passives have many advantages, such as: improving packaging efficiency and electrical performance, reducing the use of printed wiring board (PWB) real estate, eliminating assembly to board, minimizing solder joint failure and enhanced reliability. The objective of this research is to reduce the size and enhance the performance of a multi-chip-module (MCM) used in aerospace accelerometers and gyroscopes by incorporating all the discrete components into the low-cost printed wiring board MCM substrate. To achieve this goal, we intend to use the low temperature process to incorporate decoupling capacitors directly into the substrate during the PWB manufacturing process. Computer simulation and modeling of embedded capacitors were carried out to predict the capacitance range, fabrication tolerance, the interference between adjacent capacitors and the effects of vias. The commercial finite element software ANSYS was used for the modeling work, which includes electric and thermomechanical analyses of embedded capacitor with/without via and the interference between two adjacent capacitors. Attention was given to the effects of different dielectric constants and geometry of the embedded capacitors. FEM model provides a good picture of the distribution, electrical performance and tolerance of capacitors for the design and manufacturing process.


ANDRUSHA A. Kharkiv National Medical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine Clinical and Prognostic Signifi cance of Serum Uric Acid as a Marker Complicated Course of Gout on the Background Pathology of Digestive Tract Introduction. According to statistics, gout — the most common cause of arthritis in men older than 30 years. At present, the disease is considered not only as clinicians recurrent monoarthritis, but as a systemic disease with severe visceral manifestations. It is therefore timely diagnosis of gout and its visceral manifestations, early and appropriate treatment of the main nosology and related pathologies has clinical and social importance for these patients. The aim of our study was to investigate the features of primary gout against pathology of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), depending on the level of serum uric acid (SUA). Materials and methods. 25 patients with gout complicated by GIT pathology were examined. The investigation of patients included general clinical and laboratory methods (including assessment of articular syndrome, SUA level by uricase method), radiographic (joint X-ray). According to history, we detailed the duration of gout (first of all specific joint syndrome), frequency (last 12 months) and duration of exacerbations, the number of affected joints and tophi in the course of the disease and at the time of inspection. The intensity of pain joint syndrome evaluated on a ten visual analogue scale (VAS). Gastrointestinal pathology was diagnosed according to the criteria relevant diagnostic nosology. Results. Patients had different clinical gout variants: asymptomatic hyperuricemia, intermittent gout, chronic gout. Tophi were found in 6 patients. SUA level varied in the range from 360 to 731 mmol/l. To investigate the influence of SUA on the course of gout and gastrointestinal pathology, patients were divided into 2 subgroups according to the degree of hyperuricemia: the first subgroup (12 patients) with hyperuricemia greater than 600 mmol/l, the second subgroup (13 people) with moderate hyperuricemia 360–600 mmol/l. The severity of the disease was caused by a large number of affected joints (minimum 3, maximum 10) and the number of inflamed joints at inspection (2 to 6), high frequency of exacerbations joint syndrome during the year (min — 2, max — 8 times a year), duration last exacerbation (4–10 days). Localization arthritis was the following: the first metatarsus-phalangeal joints, ankle, knee and elbow joints, small joints of hands. The painful articular syndrome patients assessed with VAS scale from 5 to 10 points. Radiographic changes in affected joints were presented as following: the moderate local osteoporosis, vacuolelike bone defects with a rim of sclerosis; small erosion on the articular surfaces; consolidations and thickening of soft tissue, calcifications in soft tissues, signs of secondary osteoarthritis. These features correspond to the simultaneous exi stence of phenomena of degradation, degeneration and regeneration. The phenomena of osteoporosis were discovered in patients with chronic gout, while as erosive changes detected at high hyperuricemia and tophi gout. Pathology of the digestive tract was presented by gastroesophageal reflux disease with esophagitis (24.0 %) and without esophagitis (32.0 %), gastritis and/or duodenitis (16.0 %) and chronic colitis (28.0 %). Erosive changes in the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract were observed at high hyperuricemia and tophi gout (24.0 %). Conclusion. At gout complicated by gastrointestinal disorders, there is a severe course of articular syndrome caused by a large number of affected joints and a high index of severity of gout. X-ray picture of the affected joints and endoscopic findings in the gastrointestinal tract characterized by changes, the severity of which depends on the degree of hyperuricemia. At high values of uric acid (> 600 mmol/l) there are erosive changes and phenomena of inflammatory erosive changes in the gastrointestinal tract mucosa.


For many computer vision applications, the availability of camera calibration data is crucial as overall quality heavily depends on it. While calibration data is available on some devices through Augmented Reality (AR) frameworks like ARCore and ARKit, for most cameras this information is not available. Therefore, we propose a web based calibration service that not only aggregates calibration data, but also allows calibrating new cameras on-the-fly. We build upon a novel camera calibration framework that enables even novice users to perform a precise camera calibration in about 2 minutes. This allows general deployment of computer vision algorithms on the web, which was previously not possible due to lack of calibration data.


The accumulated evidence in the literature since 1930 reveals that pituitary extracts rich in "growth hormone" exert powerful diabetogenic effects. It has not been possible thus far to separate these two activities as belonging to two distinct molecular species. However, an analysis on broad biological principles makes it most probable that two hormonal entities compose the so-called growth hormone fraction. The somatotrophic component (STH) would be expected to exert the following actions: (1) promote protein synthesis (together with insulin); (2) cause orderly proliferation of epiphyseal cartilage; (3) lead to increased insulin liberation from B cells. The total effect would consist of growth in bodily length and enhanced protein synthesis. The diabetogenic component (here called adipokinetic .AK) would play its role in: (1) liberating fatty acids from adipose tissue, thus shifting cellular metabolism to the utilization of fat, whenever there develops a relative scarcity of carbohydrate. This shift would inhibit glucose use and lead to insulin resistance, ketone production, etc. This analysis is presented in order to stimulate experimental approaches for testing the validity of either the "one" or "two" factor hypothesis of the pituitary growth hormone fraction. Available experimental evidence is not adequate nor sufficiently convincing for unequivocal decision.


Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are thin laminates that are externally bonded to broken concrete specimens using an epoxy system to increase their load-carrying capacity in this study. This paper reports the test results of broken concrete specimens strengthened with CFRP sheets and subjected to two aggressive environments including ultraviolet (UV) and freeze-thaw cycles. Test results revealed that three different CFRP layers are effective in retrofit on the broken compressive or flexural concrete specimens. The broken concrete specimens repaired with an epoxy and CFRP system could improve their compressive strength, flexural strength or ductility. Both aggressive environment tests didn't cause obvious degradation to hardness index, compressive or flexural strength. The flexural specimens used half-U coating and anchorage systems were much higher strength than those only wrapped with CFRP sheets on the flat surface.


To our knowledge, neither the phylogroup diversity of E. coli within individual wild animals nor that within an interacting multispecies community have previously been assessed. In doing so, we uncovered the globally known phylogroup diversity from an animal community on a preserve imbedded in a human-dominated landscape. ABSTRACT Wild animals have been implicated as reservoirs and even "melting pots" of pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria of concern to human health. Though Escherichia coli is common among vertebrate guts and plays a role in the propagation of such genetic information, few studies have explored its diversity beyond humans nor the ecological factors that influence its diversity and distribution in wild animals. We characterized an average of 20 E. coli isolates per scat sample (n = 84) from a community of 14 wild and 3 domestic species. The phylogeny of E. coli comprises 8 phylogroups that are differentially associated with pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance, and we uncovered all of them in one small biological preserve surrounded by intense human activity. Challenging previous assumptions that a single isolate is representative of within-host phylogroup diversity, 57% of individual animals sampled carried multiple phylogroups simultaneously. Host species' phylogroup richness saturated at different levels across species and encapsulated vast within-sample and within-species variation, indicating that distribution patterns are influenced both by isolation source and laboratory sampling depth. Using ecological methods that ensure statistical relevance, we identify trends in phylogroup prevalence associated with host and environmental factors. The vast genetic diversity and broad distribution of E. coli in wildlife populations has implications for biodiversity conservation, agriculture, and public health, as well as for gauging unknown risks at the urban-wildland interface. We propose critical directions for future studies of the "wild side" of E. coli that will expand our understanding of its ecology and evolution beyond the human environment. IMPORTANCE To our knowledge, neither the phylogroup diversity of E. coli within individual wild animals nor that within an interacting multispecies community have previously been assessed. In doing so, we uncovered the globally known phylogroup diversity from an animal community on a preserve imbedded in a human-dominated landscape. We revealed that the phylogroup composition in domestic animals differed greatly from that in their wild counterparts, implying potential human impacts on the domestic animal gut. Significantly, many wild individuals hosted multiple phylogroups simultaneously, indicating the potential for strain-mixing and zoonotic spillback, especially as human encroachment into wildlands increases in the Anthropocene. We reason that due to extensive anthropogenic environmental contamination, wildlife is increasingly exposed to our waste, including E. coli and antibiotics. The gaps in the ecological and evolutionary understanding of E. coli thus necessitate a significant uptick in research to better understand human impacts on wildlife and the risk for zoonotic pathogen emergence.


In this paper, we introduce the architecture of an environment, which aims at helping learners in their self-assessment process. We show how we integrated three systems to build an experimental device based on this architecture. We then present the experiment we conducted to show the utility of this device and also to validate our hypothesis that it is easier for learners to self-assess themselves from an exercises-point of view than from a knowledge-point of view.


Recently developed methods for genome editing, representing a major breakthrough in the field of genetic engineering, will enable researchers to produce transgenic plants in a more convenient and safer way. Double-strand breaks (DSBs) are triggered by synthetic nucleases that later induce DNA repair mechanisms known as nonhomologous-end joining (NHEJ) or homology-directed repair (HDR) in the presence of a donor DNA. Gene targeting (GT) was earlier demonstrated in rice and maize genomes by exploiting several genes ( Acetohydroxyacid synthase, waxy, ALS, OS11N3 etc.), while zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) were used to modify IPK1 gene in maize. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR-CAS) system has been shown to be efficient for targeted mutagenesis in wheat that has a hexaploid complex genome, rice, maize, and recently in barley. The CRISPR system is considered as advantageous over previous approaches due to its easy use and efficiency, however, needs to be improved for high off-target effects.


The introduction of new technology into mining operations is seen as a strategic necessity by many mining companies, in order to improve safety and to improve operational effectiveness. Many attempts have been made in recent years to introduce new technologies into mining operations in southern Africa. Amongst these are noteworthy successes, as well as some disappointing failures. Often, the reason for failure does not lie with the technology itself, but with the work system into which the technology is introduced. Such failures may come with a significant opportunity cost, and have a detrimental effect on future development, simply because the system has not been adequately engineered, and the risks have not been adequately assessed and managed. This paper examines the reasons for such failures, and proposes a methodology to be followed to ensure successful and sustainable implementation of new technologies, such as to reduce technical and financial risk to the company, and to energize the workforce into ensuring the initial objectives of the project are met. The paper also focuses on the application of appropriate technology, and the development of technological applications which are commensurate with the level of development of the work environment into which it is introduced. The paper therefore focuses on the application of risk management, change management, systems engineering and feasibility analysis as being key elements of a successful and holistic technology implementation programme.


MIDWIFEET. / BY W. S. PLAYFAIR, M.D., LL.D., F.R.C.P., PHYSICIAN-ACCOUCHEUK TO H. I. AKD K. H. THE DUCHESS OF EDINBURGH ; PROFESSOR OF OBSTETRIC MEDICINE IN KING'S COLLEGE; PHYSICIAN FOR THE DISEASES OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO king's college HOSPITAL ; CONSULTING PHYSICIAN TO THE GENERAL LYING-IN HOSPITAL AND TO THE EVELINA HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN; LATE PRESIDENT OF THE OBSTETRICAL SOCIETY OF 1-ONDON; EXAMINER IN MIDWIFERY TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON AND TO THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.


This paper discusses the major issues that exist in the single-stage ac/dc converters with power factor correction (PFC) and presents a novel converter based on a quasi-active PFC scheme. Two additional windings wound in the transformer of a conventional dc/dc flyback converter are used to drive and achieve continuous current mode operation of an input inductor. In addition, direct energy transfer paths are provided through the additional windings to improve the conversion efficiency and to reduce the dc bus capacitor voltage below 450 V for universal line applications. The proposed converter can be easily designed to comply with IEC 61000-3-2 Class D requirement and to achieve fast output voltage regulation. By properly tuning the converter parameters, a good tradeoff between efficiency, dc bus capacitor voltage stress, and harmonic content can be achieved. Operating principles, analysis, and experimental results of the proposed method are presented.


Humanity's relentless lust for precious resources hidden within the surface of the Earth has resulted in countless scars and derelict landscapes. In the modern age, many sites are remediated, yet some have become so damaged during the lifespan of industry that they cannot return back to their original state. Aotearoa/New Zealand is seen globally as a pristine nation. As one of the last major land masses to be discovered by humans, it escaped much of the exploitation that the rest of the world experienced prior to the Industrial Revolution. Māori lived as one with the land, but the arrival of the European saw the initiation of mass exploitation of this sacred land and its resources.
Many post-industrial sites within Aotearoa/New Zealand have slowly returned back to their natural state due to abandonment. Yet as technology progresses and our ability to terraform advances, many of these scars have become too deep to ever fully heal. These scars are the focus of this thesis, intervening with architecture as the catalyst for change by allowing future generations to observe and learn from their ancestors' mistakes. The township of Waihi, at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula, has a mining history spanning three centuries. Here, the land has been inexorably violated in the search for gold and silver. Waihi is thus the site for this design-led research investigation. Mining operations here will continue till 2035, where the landscape will then begin a stage of rehabilitation. This investigation proposes that by integrating architecture into these rehabilitation efforts, an 'afterlife' can emerge for the scars and memories of the area, allowing stories of the changing landscape to be remembered long into the future.
Geographic layers of history build up over time, from prehistoric through precolonial to post-industrial. Each layer is a transformation from the previous, creating chronotopes of time and space. In his essay "The Task of the Translator", Walter Benjamin maintains that translation is an active and aggressive process that challenges the purity and unity of the original. In doing so, the translator takes advantage of the internal conflict of languages and their state of flux in order to recreate them. The task of the architect in post-colonial contexts can often be compared with the task of the translator—carrying out a critical mediation between a vast diversity of cultural elements, often antagonistic, in an attempt to produce adequate spaces to satisfy the needs of specific societies and cultural groups. Employing translation theory in the realm of architecture opens a dialogue in the translation existing as an 'afterlife' emerging from the original.
When applied to architectural theory this investigation may begin to interpret a unique and meaningful intervention for the 'afterlife' of post-industrial landscapes affected by mining in Waihi. An important coalescence of the historic mining industry and local Māori oral histories will inform the narrative of the sites, engaging in a dialectic and responding to alternative narratives of the heritage that shaped the site context. Using Benjamin's essay as a framework to begin this thesis, the investigation asks the question: How can the histories of a scarred landscape be translated through an architectural narrative to inform and restore memory for the present and future? This research investigation proposes that architecture can activate voids left by industry in narrative ways that can enhance a visitor's understanding of the place and its turbulent past. Jerome Bruner, senior research fellow at New York University, outlines a foundation by which to develop a successful narrative. Jacques Derrida, French philosopher and a major figure associated with the development of deconstruction, connects translation theory with the realm ofarchitecture and unveils further possibilities. Juhani Pallasmaa, architect and former professor at the Helsinki University of Technology, focuses heavily on how memory creates 'place' and how this can inform an imagined future in relation to the built environment. Leading heritage architect Jennifer Hill describes how preserving visible scars in a landscape can provide an affordance for a site's ongoing translation over time, contributing to the overall narrative of 'place'. Robin Evans, architect and architectural historian explores the architectural drawing through translation, and Catherine Hamel, associate professor at the University of Calgary, focuses on the use of drawing as confrontation and how this allows a visual dialectic to form between varying methods of representation.
This thesis proposes to integrate theoretical arguments from each of these theorists in a design-led research investigation designed to rehabilitate a historically scarred settlement. In the thesis, a communication between narrative and translation will be established in order to revitalise the place's identity. It will also fill the social and economic voids left by the industrial processes and find a benevolent approach to guide Waihi into the future.


"INSPIRED DESIGN: USING INTERDISCIPLINARITY AND BIOMIMICRY FOR SOFTWARE INNOVATION" By Steven A. Korecki This thesis presents research and proposes a framework for increasing the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary knowledge in the field of computer science. The intent is to address an increasing problem of complexity in software and computing systems. The approach is to equip software developers and computer scientists with a contextual perspective and a set of strategies for injecting innovation and creativity into the solutions they design by leveraging knowledge and models outside the traditional realm of computer science. A review of current and historical forms of interdisciplinarity and biomimicry are presented to build that context. The strategies presented include interdisciplinary education, interdisciplinary collaboration, interdisciplinary tools, biomimetic design, and the creation of new pattern languages based on nature's design solutions. Each of these strategies stems from and leads to an open exchange of knowledge across disciplinary boundaries. When taken together, the knowledge and strategies presented here are intended to inspire and foster a paradigm that recognizes and harnesses the value of human and natural diversity as a source of innovation.


Most of the world's remaining tropical forests have been affected by either selective logging, understorey fires, fragmentation or are regrowing in areas that were previously deforested. Despite the ubiquity of these human‐modified forests, we have a limited knowledge of their potential to recover key traits linked to ecosystem processes and consequent services. Here we present data from 31,095 trees and saplings distributed across 121 plots of undisturbed and disturbed primary forests as well as secondary forests in the eastern Amazon. We examined the post‐disturbance recovery trajectory of an important plant functional trait, wood density. We tested whether human‐modified Amazonian forests are experiencing a rapid or a slow, or even impeded, recovery of this trait, which is associated with the provision of a fundamental ecosystem service—carbon storage. As expected, we found that the plot‐level wood density of trees and saplings in disturbed primary and secondary forests was significantly lower than in undisturbed forests. However, there was no significant difference in the average wood density of saplings between disturbed primary and secondary forests, possibly indicating a process of secondarization. We also found evidence that the recovery of wood density in human‐modified forests is being severely disrupted due to edge effects (in the case of disturbed primary forests) and high liana densities (in the case of both disturbed primary and secondary forests). Surprisingly, these two factors were more important predictors of wood density recovery than the time elapsed since the disturbance event. Synthesis. Plant communities in human‐modified Amazonian forests appear to not be recovering a key functional property—wood density, which in turn may affect their ability to store carbon in the future. If the aim of conservation programs in tropical forests is to maintain existing rates of ecosystem functions, processes and services, then they must concentrate efforts on avoiding anthropogenic disturbance in areas of currently undisturbed forests. It is also vital to prevent further disturbance in human‐modified forests to avoid disrupting even more their recovery.


Individual keratin proteins were identified in 10 DMBA induced squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the hamster cheek pouch. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of water-insoluble cytoskeletal extracts from the tumor tissue demonstrated alterations in the protein distribution normal for the site. Immunoblot analysis with a broad spectrum polyclonal antikeratin antiserum identified the keratins in the preparations and confirmed changes in their distribution in the tumor preparations. The major keratin species for all the tumor tissues ranged in molecular weight from 45 to 57kd. The normal tissues had keratins with molecular weights from 45 to 73kd. The absence of high molecular weight keratins was a prominent feature in all the cancers. The histologic appearance of the tumors was varied but the distribution of the keratins was not correlated with the various histologies. The results demonstrate that changes in keratin gene expression occur in DMBA-induced cheek-pouch carcinomas but the precise alterations in the keratin proteins from those seen normally are not predictable. Charles F. Shuler, Section of Diagnostic Services. Ohio Slate University College of


Next-generation sequencing technologies are increasingly being applied in clinical settings, however the data are characterized by a range of platform-specific artifacts making downstream analysis problematic and error prone. One major application of NGS is in the profiling of clinically relevant mutations whereby sequences are aligned to a reference genome and potential mutations assessed and scored. Accurate sequence alignment is pivotal in reliable assessment of potential mutations however selection of appropriate alignment tools is a non-trivial task complicated by the availability of multiple solutions each with its own performance characteristics. Using BRCA1 as an example, we have simulated and mutated a test dataset based on Illumina sequencing technology. Our findings reveal key differences in the performances of a range of common commercial and open source tools and will be of importance to anyone using NGS to profile mutations in clinical or basic research.


We find previously unknown families which imply Frankl's conjecture using an algorithmic framework. The conjecture states that for any non-empty union-closed (or Frankl) family there exists an element in at least half of the sets. Poonen's Theorem characterizes the existence of weights which determine whether a given Frankl family implies the conjecture for all Frankl families which contain it. A Frankl family is Non–Frankl-Complete (Non–FC), if it does not imply the conjecture in its elements for some Frankl family that contains it. We design a cutting-plane method that computes the explicit weights which imply the existence conditions of Poonen's Theorem. This method allows us to find a counterexample to a ten-year-old conjecture by R. Morris about the structure of generators for Non–FC-families.


: Intraduodenal pHgraphy was used in experiments on thyroidine fed dogs with duodenal fistulas to study the time course of pH modulations without regard for, and during digestion. A decrease in the duodenal pH and occurrence of pH-waves on an empty stomach were recorded. After feeding the animals pH-waves disappeared and then recurred. They were arrhythmic in nature and unsteady in amplitude. The changes in the duodenal pH seen after thyroidine intake might be related to the processes of continuous acid output in the stomach induced by thyroid hormones and rapid evacuation of the acidic contents from the stomach to the duodenum.


3D dose verification has important advantages for comprehensive verification of advanced radiation treatments. We have designed, constructed, installed, and commissioned an in-house prototype three dimensional (3D) dose verification system for a joint international collaboration (Duke and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PMCC), Toronto) to investigate the comprehensive accuracy of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) treatments. The potential of this system to achieve sufficient performance (1 mm resolution, 3 % noise, within 3 % bias) for SBRT verification was investigated. The system, termed PMOS, was designed utilizing a parallel ray geometry instigated by precision telecentric lenses and an 630 nm LED light source. Using PRESAGE® radiochromic dosimeters, a 3D dosimetric comparison with our gold-standard system and treatment planning software (Eclipse®) was performed for a four-field box treatment (8 Gy per fraction), under gamma passing criteria of 3 %/3 mm/10 % dose threshold. Post off-site installation, deviations in the system's dose readout performance was assessed by rescanning the four-field box irradiated dosimeter and using line-profiles to compare on-site and off-site mean and noise levels in four distinct dose regions. As a final step, an end-to-end test of the system was completed at the off-site location, including CT-simulation, irradiation of the dosimeter and a 3D dosimetric v comparison of the planned dose (Pinnacle 3) to delivered dose for a spinal SBRT treatment(12 Gy per fraction). The gamma pass rate for the 3D gamma comparison between the PMOS and our gold-standard Duke Large Optical Scanner (DLOS) dose distribution was 99.1% under (3 %, 2mm, 5 % threshold) criteria. Under 3 %, 1mm, 5 % threshold, the gamma comparison between the systems was 95.6 %. Using line profiles, the dose difference between the readout of the PMOS at Duke and PMCC for the same irradiated dosimeter was between 0-1 Gy. At 1mm reconstructed dose voxels, the gamma pass rate was 95. 27% (3 %, 2 mm, 5 % threshold) for the gamma comparison between the measured PMOS and calculate Pinnacle 3 dose distribution. The majority of the failing voxels of the gamma map were in the high dose regions of the dose distribution. By rescanning the dosimeter in the DLOS, the PMOS' dose readout was ruled out as the source of the high dose (>14Gy) disagreement. The sensitivity of the PRESAGE® dosimeter and the parameters for the Pinnacle 3 dose calculation will be further investigated as possible sources for the error. This work will describe the end-to-end …


According to a view – really a family of related views – that has considerable currency at the moment, philosophy of language and linguistics have a direct bearing on the content of the law. I call this view the communicative-content theory of law or, for short, the communication theory. According to the communication theorists, the study of language and communication reveals that the full linguistic meaning of an utterance is what the speaker or author communicates by the utterance – call it communicative content – which may go well beyond the literal meaning of the words. (On the standard understanding, communicative content is constituted by the content of certain specific communicative intentions of the speaker.) The communication theorists conclude that a statute's contribution to the content of the law is its communicative content. In this chapter, I grant many of the assumptions of the communication theorists and then argue that there are many candidates for a statute's contribution to the content of the law, including different linguistic and mental contents. The study of language can be important in helping us to make and clarify such distinctions, but beyond this information-providing role, it has nothing to say about which, if any, of these candidates constitutes a statute's contribution to the law. The communication theory therefore lacks the resources to say what any statute's contribution is. Ultimately, I suggest that trying to understand legislation on the model of communication is misguided because legislation and legislative systems have purposes that have no parallel in the case of communication and that may be better served if a statute's contribution to the content of the law is not constituted by what is communicated by the legislature.


English language proficiency testing, like large-scale testing in many other
domains, often uses multiple-choice questions, to exploit the efficiency of
automatic marking. An experiment supplementing established mcq tests with
very short free-text answer questions in English diagnostic testing has shown
that the latter are better discriminators at the lower end of student ability.
Although not economic with paper-based marking on a large scale, the
Assess By Computer e-assessment software offers marking options for such
answers which make constructed-answer tests a realistic option.


Motivated by several interesting features of the highway mowing auction data from Texas Department of Transportation (TDoT), we propose a two-stage procurement auction model with endogenous entry and uncertain number of actual bidders. Our entry and bidding models pro vide several interesting implications. For the first time, we show that even within an independent private value paradigm, as the number of potential bidders increases, bidders equilibrium bidding behavior may become less aggressive because the entry effect is always positive and may dominate the negative competition effect. We also show that it is possible that the relationship between the expected winning bid and the number of potential bidders is non-monotone decreasing as well. We then develop an empirical model of entry and bidding controlling for unobserved auction heterogeneity to analyze the data. The structural estimates are used to quantify the entry effect and the competition effect with regard to the individual bids and the procurement cost, as well as the savings for the government with regard to the procurement cost when the entry cost is reduced.


To investigate mitochondrial responses to repetitive stimulation, we measured changes in NADH fluorescence and mitochondrial membrane potential (Ψm) produced by trains of action potentials (50 Hz for 10–50 s) delivered to motor nerve terminals innervating external intercostal muscles. Stimulation produced a rapid decrease in NADH fluorescence and partial depolarization of Ψm. These changes were blocked when Ca2+ was removed from the bath or when N‐type Ca2+ channels were inhibited with ω‐conotoxin GVIA, but were not blocked when bath Ca2+ was replaced by Sr2+, or when vesicular release was inhibited with botulinum toxin A. When stimulation stopped, NADH fluorescence and Ψm returned to baseline values much faster than mitochondrial [Ca2+]. In contrast to findings in other tissues, there was usually little or no poststimulation overshoot of NADH fluorescence. These findings suggest that the major change in motor terminal mitochondrial function brought about by repetitive stimulation is a rapid acceleration of electron transport chain (ETC) activity due to the Ψm depolarization produced by mitochondrial Ca2+ (or Sr2+) influx. After partial inhibition of complex I of the ETC with amytal, stimulation produced greater Ψm depolarization and a greater elevation of cytosolic [Ca2+]. These results suggest that the ability to accelerate ETC activity is important for normal mitochondrial sequestration of stimulation‐induced Ca2+ loads.


Many real-world problems can be represented as complex networks with nodes representing different objects and links between nodes representing relationships between objects. As different attributes can be considered as associating with different objects, other than nontrivial link structures, complex networks also contain rich content information, and it can be a big challenge to find interesting clusters in such networks by fully exploiting the knowledge of both content and link information in them. Although some attempts have been made to tackle this clustering problem, few of them have considered the feasibility of identifying clusters in complex networks using a fuzzy-based clustering approach. We believe that, if the degree of membership to a cluster that a node belongs to can be considered, we will be able to better identify clusters in complex networks, as we may be able to identify overlapping clusters. In this paper, we, therefore, propose a fuzzy-based clustering algorithm for this task. The algorithm, which we call Fuzzy Clustering Algorithm for Complex Networks (FCAN), can discover clusters by taking into consideration both link and content information. It does so by first processing the content information by introducing a measure to quantify the relevance of contents between each pair of nodes within the network. It then proceeds to leverage the link information in the clustering process by considering a measure of cluster density. Based on these measures, FCAN identifies fuzzy clusters that are more densely connected and more highly relevant in their contents to optimize the degrees of memberships of each node belonging to different clusters. The performance of FCAN has been evaluated with several synthetic and real datasets involving those of document classification and social community detection. The results show that, in terms of accuracy, computation efficiency, and scalability, FCAN can be a very promising approach.


Multiple studies carried out at INRA Auvergne Rhone-Alpes have demonstrated that there is such a thing as a "grazing effect" on the sensory properties and quality of milk, cheese, butter and meat. Due to progress in microbiological analysis tools, research now explores the impact of grassland plant diversity on the animal's microbiota. As it turns out, the link to its area of origin is important for cheese as well!


Background Sarcopenic obesity describes the age-associated loss of skeletal muscle mass and function coupled with high levels of adiposity. Co-existence of sarcopenia and obesity may heighten effects on physical function, disability and mortality. Physical activity (PA) is a modifiable risk factor that may protect against the onset of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity. We investigated associations between different intensities of objectively measured PA with sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in older British men. Methods The British Regional Heart Study, a prospective cohort study, recruited 7735 men from 24 British towns in 1978–80. In 2010–12, survivors (aged 70–92 years) attended a follow up with physical measurements. Sarcopenia was defined as low muscle mass (lowest two fifths of the mid-upper arm muscle circumference distribution) accompanied by either low muscular strength (hand grip strength <30 kg measured by dynamometer) or low physical performance (gait speed ≤ 0.8 m/s measured by timed 3-metre walk); severe sarcopenia was based on presence of all three conditions. Sarcopenic obesity was defined as sarcopenia or severe sarcopenia and a waist circumference of >102 cm. Men wore a GT3x accelerometer over the hip for 7 days and reported participation in strength training. Multinomial regression models were used for cross-sectional analyses relating PA and sarcopenia. Results 1286/3137 (41%) surviving participants aged 78.2 years (SD = 4.5) had complete covariate and PA data. 14.2% (n = 183) had sarcopenia and a further 5.4% (n = 70) had severe sarcopenia. 25.3% of sarcopenic or severely sarcopenic men were obese. Each extra 30 minutes/day of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was associated with a reduced risk of severe sarcopenia (adjusted relative risk [RR] 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32, 1.00) and sarcopenic obesity (RR 0.47 [95% CI 0.27, 0.84]). Each additional 1000 steps/day was associated with RR 0.79 [95% CI 0.68, 0.93]) for severe sarcopenia and RR 0.68 [95% CI 0.58, 0.79] for sarcopenic obesity. Light PA (LPA) and sedentary breaks were marginally associated with a reduced risk of sarcopenic obesity. Each extra 30 minutes/day of sedentary time was associated with a slightly increased risk of sarcopenic obesity independent of MVPA (RR 1.18 [95% CI 0.99, 1.40]). Participation in strength training was associated with reduced risks of sarcopenic non-obese compared to non-sarcopenic non-obese (RR 0.52 [95% CI 0.26, 1.03]). Conclusion Regular MVPA may help reduce risk of severe sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity. Reducing sedentary time and increasing LPA and sedentary breaks may also protect against sarcopenic obesity. Further larger studies with a longitudinal design are required to determine causality.


We present a new approach for shape metamorphism, which is a process of gradually changing a source shape (known) through intermediate shapes (unknown) into a target shape (known). The problem, when represented with implicit scalar function, is under-constrained, and regularization is needed. Using the p-La placian equation (PLE), we generalize a series of regularization terms based on the gradient of the implicit function, and we show that the present methods lack additional constraints for a more stable solution. The novelty of our approach is in the deployment of a new regularization term when p --> infinity which leads to the infinite Laplacian equation (ILE). We show that ILE minimizes the supremum of the gradient and prove that it is optimal for metamorphism since intermediate solutions are equally distributed along their normal direction. Applications of the proposed algorithm for 2D and 3D objects are demonstrated.


MOTIVATION
As disease loci are rapidly discovered, an emerging challenge is to identify common pathways and biological functionality across loci. Such pathways might point to potential disease mechanisms. One strategy is to look for functionally related or interacting genes across genetic loci. Previously, we defined a statistical strategy, Gene Relationships Across Implicated Loci (GRAIL), to identify whether pair-wise gene relationships defined using PubMed text similarity are enriched across loci. Here, we have implemented VIZ-GRAIL, a software tool to display those relationships and to depict the underlying biological patterns.

RESULTS
Our tool can seamlessly interact with the GRAIL web site to obtain the results of analyses and create easy to read visual displays. To most clearly display results, VIZ-GRAIL arranges genes and genetic loci to minimize intersecting pair-wise gene connections. VIZ-GRAIL can be easily applied to other types of functional connections, beyond those from GRAIL. This method should help investigators appreciate the presence of potentially important common functions across loci.

AVAILABILITY
The GRAIL algorithm is implemented online at http://www.broadinstitute.org/mpg/grail/grail.php. VIZ-GRAIL source-code is at http://www.broadinstitute.org/mpg/grail/vizgrail.html.


Miss M A HOCKING (Lewisham Hospital, London SE13) writes: I am sure that Dr R J Fairhurst (9 June, p 1762) is correct when he says that many of the injuries sustained in the Majorca coach disaster could have been avoided if the passengers had been wearing seat belts. Last summer I saw a number of elderly patients who had been in an Age Concern coach which had overturned, admittedly while travelling slowly. None of the occupants, however, sustained anything more than minor bruising, and I am sure that this was because all the seats in this coach had been provided with seat belts which had been used. The fight is now on to make the use of rear seat belts compulsory, and I feel strongly that some attempt should also be made to legislate for their use in coaches. As in the Majorcan tragedy, when these vehicles do crash there may be major injuries. There may be considerable opposition to this, as on long journeys people like to be able to move around a vehicle. A first step would be to ensure that coaches were fitted with belts which could be used by passengers if they so wished. It is obviously not possible to legislate for other countries, but we can at least try to make our own roads safer.


Generally, seismic interferometry refers to a method of extracting the wavefield responses between two receivers as if we had replaced one of those receivers by a source (van Manen et al., 2005; Wapenaar and Fokkema, 2006). This is done by a process of cross-correlation and summation of wavefields observed at those receivers. These recorded wavefields can be excited by active sources (earthquakes, dynamite, air guns, vibroseis, and others) or passive sources (oceanic microseisms, traffic on roads, industrial machinery, and others). When applying seismic interferometry using surface sources and surface receivers, the recovered inter-receiver response is dominated by surface waves. This phenomenon is observed in both global and regional seismology where passive seismic energy is used, and in exploration seismology, where active sources are used.


SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF THERMOHYDRAULIC CODE FOR MODIFIED PLATE-FUELED 2 MW TRIGA. The plan to modify TRIGA 2000 Bandung from using regular TRIGA fuel to plate-type fuel should be supported by the use of appropriate computer codes. This research proposes three codes to design reactor thermohydraulics at transient condition. Analysis has been performed to identify code sensitivity using the same input and correlation. The codes used were COOLOD-N2, Heathyd, and PARET-ANL. The input was obtained from preliminary analysis of a flow rate calculation of 70 kg/s and a nominal power of 2 MW. The comparison of these three codes did not consider uncertainty factor for neutronic and technical aspects. The sensitivity analysis on thermohydraulic codes used to calculate heat transfer in the fuel plate of TRIGA reactor at steady state condition indicates similar temperature trend lines for the coolant, plate, and fuel meat. Temperature calculation results obtained from COOLOD-N2, Heathyd and PARET ANL give consistent sensitivity with the differences of coolant temperature from 2.83% to 12.5%; cladding temperature  from 2.14% to 31.30%; and fuel meat temperature  from 6.63% to 18.64%. The margins of flow instability were 5.03; 5.68 and 4.21, respectively for COOLOD-N2, Heathyd, and PARET-ANL. These values show that flow instability has not yet occurred. The results of the analysis show that the use of those three codes for steady state condition using the same input, in which uncertainty factor is neglected, give similar trend for coolant, cladding, and fuel meat temperature. As the modelling in each code is different, the values obtained are not exactly the same.Keywords: sensitivity analysis, TRIGA Plate, COOLOD-N2, Heathyd, PARET-ANL


The effect of crude extract of root of Telfairia occidentalis ( fluted pumpkin) was investigated on the kidney of adult wistar rats. The crude extract of pumpkin root were given both intraperitoneally and orally to rats respectively. The control group received distilled water throughout the duration of experiment. The administration lasted for seven days and on the eight day, the animals were sacrificed. Morphologically, there was decrease in the body weight, loss of appetite, weakness and death of some animals in the experimental groups. Histologically, the architecture of the kidneys in the experimental animals treated with pumpkin root extract orally and intraperitoneally showed enlarged tubules, distorted glomeruli and Bowman's capsule, shrinking of proximal and distal convoluted tubules compared with the control. These results suggest that the root of Telfairia occidentalis may be nephrotoxic in wistar rats. Keywords: crude extract, root, Telfairia occidentalis, kidney


Objectives: To identify the number of individuals for whom double identification check was done before administering medication and before procedure/intervention, as per Continual Quality Improvement 3j indicator of National Accreditation Board of Hospitals (4th edition) and hospital policy. Materials and methods: The study was a concurrent, observa tional recording of the study population which included doctors/ surgeons, nurses, and/or technicians before administration of any medication and before beginning of any procedure/intervention. The observations were recorded on a prepared checklist to find the compliance of incidence of patients' double identification. Results: A total of 34 observations were recorded before admin istering medication to a patient. In 18 cases, wristbands were not being used, and identification details were incorrect in 4 cases. Of 34 cases, identifiers were illegible in 6 cases. The major area where the error was high was noncompliance to verbal confirmation of identity (ID) and checking it from the patient's file. Out of 34 observations before a procedure/intervention, 9 errors were identified in cases where the ID band was not used for verification, and identification details on the band were illeg ible in 5 cases. In six cases, the patient's name was not verbally confirmed with the patient or carer. Furthermore, in 10 cases, verbally confirmed name was not checked with the patient's file. Out of 34 cases, double identification was not done in 13 cases. Conclusion: Many nurses, doctors, and technicians in clinical settings do not verify patient ID before performing a task, result ing in more than one-third of staff not conforming themselves with the double identification procedure. The study also showed that over three-fourths of the total invasive procedures are compliant to double identification. On the contrary, noninvasive procedures showed less than one-fourth compliance to double identification.


Plasma treatment is becoming increasingly popular in enhancing the hydrophobicity of synthetic textiles. In recent years, the study of surface hydrophobisation by means of plasma treatment, under low or atmospheric pressure, has drawn a great deal of attention. A large amount of research has reported on the possibility of applying this technique with merits that include a dry process, reduced pollution, a single step treatment, etc. In this regard, this paper reviews recent approaches on enhancing the hydrophobicity of synthetic textiles by means of plasma treatment. The basic working principle of generating plasma to enhance hydrophobicity is explained. Both low and atmospheric plasma treatments are introduced. A higher cost is usually required for low pressure plasma because of the investment on a vacuum chamber. On the other hand, carrier gas is required for atmospheric plasma treatment, which is not the case for low pressure plasma. The experimental set up and the chemicals involved in the processes are discussed. In order to enhance surface hydrophobicity, fluorocarbons are always applied, such as perfluoroalkylacrylate, perfluorodecaline and tetrafluoroethylene.


LOUISE RICHARDSON is Associate Professor of Government at Harvard University. The widespread usage of the term terrorism, in many contexts, has rendered the word almost meaningless. Today, its only universally understood connotation is so pejorative that even terrorists don't admit to being terrorists anymore. A glance at current usage reveals child abuse, racism, and gang warfare all incorrectly described as terrorism. Thus, if terrorism is to be analyzed in any meaningful way, it must be readily distinguishable from other forms of violence, especially other forms of political violence. In this article, terrorism is defined as politically motivated violence, directed against non-combatant or symbolic targets and designed to communicate a message to a broader audience. The critical feature of terrorism is the deliberate targeting of innocents in an effort to convey a message to another party. This particular characteristic differentiates terrorism from the most proximate form of political violence: the irregular warfare of the guerrilla. While it could certainly be argued that states engage in terrorism, this article focuses on non-state actors: terrorist movements. Although terrorism is most often targeted against domestic political structures to effect political change, this article focuses on the international connections between terrorists. Political scientists coined the term trans-nationalism when they realized that the prevailing state-centric paradigm could not adequately explain the extent and impact of international interactions. Trans-nationalism denotes the interplay between non-state actors--international interactions not directed by states. On the other hand, trans-governmentalism refers to relations between sub-units of governments not controlled by the national executives. US Perceptions of Terrorism The United States tends to see terrorism less as a trans-national force and more as an international one. More specifically, the United States generally perceives international terrorism as deliberately directed by governments, usually against US targets. In the 1980s, the notion of an extensive, covert Soviet conspiracy to undermine the West prevailed. Today, the prevailing image is that of the radical Islamic fundamentalist following instructions from Middle Eastern capitals. International terrorism, therefore, is seen as state-sponsored terrorism, and state-sponsored terrorism, like terrorism more generally, is something only the bad guys do. In response to public concern about state-sponsored terrorism, the US State Department is required to report annually to Congress on the patterns of global terrorism and to list the states considered sponsors of terrorism. Congress then imposes trade sanctions on the designated states. Currently, there are seven states on the list: Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. This list, of course, is a political instrument and reflects far more than the extent of state-sponsored terrorism. The economies of Cuba and North Korea, for example, ensure that neither government is in any position to promote, much less fund, international terrorism. Indeed, in 1995, the North Korean government repudiated terrorism and any support for it. The two governments remain on the list, ostensibly for providing a safe haven to terrorists, but more likely because domestic pressure from Cuban voters in Florida and alliance relations with South Korea make their removal politically difficult. A more objective assessment of the evidence suggests that the use of terror as an instrument of foreign policy might not be the exclusive domain of expansionist communists or mad mullahs. Even impeccably liberal democracies might engage in such action. In the 1980s, however, the firmly held belief was that the United States faced a deliberate and dedicated cadre of communists under orders from Moscow to undermine the West. Among the staunch proponents of this view were President Reagan and his Secretary of State, Alexander Haig. …


We study the backreaction of free quantum fields on a flat Robertson-Walker spacetime. Apart from renormalization freedom, the vacuum energy receives contributions from both the trace anomaly and the thermal nature of the quantum state. The former represents a dynamical realisation of dark energy, while the latter mimics an effective dark matter component. The semiclassical dynamics yield two classes of asymptotically stable solutions. The first reproduces the concordance model in a suitable regime. The second lacks a classical counterpart, but is in excellent agreement with recent observations.


The Packaging industry is one of the largest industries in the world and is associated with many environmental concerns. To reduce its environmental impacts, designing sustainable packaging has been one of the top priorities in packaging industries. A common tools for evaluating the environmental impact of a package design is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) which provides information on environmental impacts for different indicators. However, making decisions based on the LCA results leaves us with major challenges. First, the LCA tools should consider various uncertainties such as measurement and data quality. Second, the LCA may give conflicting results on different environmental impact factors. To address these issues, a ranking based decision making framework is proposed in this paper. Within this framework a Probabilistic Pareto Selection method is introduced to select the Pareto Front with uncertainty first. Then, the Ranking based Rate of Substitution is implemented in the decision making process in order to select the best design options based on the trade-off of each Pareto design. Tow case studies are presented to demonstrate the functionality of this framework.


Control of Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a major pest of stone and pome fruits, is successfully achieved by mating disruption. Under these conditions, tools other than conventional pheromone dispensers are needed for flight monitoring. The objective of the present work was to determine whether plant volatiles synergize male G. molesta attraction to a suboptimal dose of synthetic sex pheromone. The plant blend (referred to as 5VB), a mixture of three green leaf volatiles [(Z)‐3‐hexenyl acetate, (Z)‐3‐hexenol, and (E)‐2‐hexenal] and two aromatics [benzaldehyde (BZA) and benzonitrile (BZN)], was added to the suboptimal pheromone dose (2 ng on filter paper) in log steps (up to 10 000× the pheromone dose) to test synergism of pheromone and plant blends. In addition, the effect of individual plant volatiles on male responses was investigated by adding to the suboptimal pheromone dose each of the four‐compound plant‐volatile blends, resulting from eliminating one volatile from the 5VB at a time, or each plant volatile alone. Flight behaviour and the time to reach the source were recorded. The 5VB alone was not attractive to G. molesta males, but at a ratio of 1:1 000 (Ph:5VB) or higher, the attractiveness of the suboptimal pheromone dose increased, to a level similar to that of the optimal pheromone dose (10 ng). All tested plant volatiles, except BZA, synergized the response to the pheromone when added individually, but only (Z)‐3‐hexenol and BZN did so to a level not significantly different from the Ph:5VB blend. Aromatics had a stronger effect than green leaf volatiles (GLVs), because their removal, but not the removal of GLVs, decreased landing responses. The addition of the 5VB decreased significantly the time males needed to reach the odour source. The observed enhanced male attraction to mixtures of pheromone and plant volatiles will facilitate the development of lures for G. molesta adult flight monitoring.